Legal Insurrection readers are likely familiar with the harassment of Scott Walker supporters in Wisconsin.
George Will addressed the issue with some follow up in his column this week…
Wis. prosecutors abuse the law for partisan endsU.S. District Judge Rudolph T. Randa, revolted by the police-state arrogance of some elected prosecutors, has stopped a partisan abuse of law enforcement that was masquerading as political hygiene. Last Tuesday, Randa halted the corruption being committed by people pretending to administer campaign regulations — regulations ostensibly enacted to prevent corruption or the appearance thereof. The prosecutors’ cynical manipulation of Wisconsin’s campaign laws is more than the mere appearance of corruption.Eric O’Keefe’s refusal to be intimidated by lawless law enforcement officials produced Randa’s remarkably emphatic ruling against an especially egregious example of Democrats using government power to suppress conservatives’ political speech…As a director of Wisconsin Club for Growth, which advocates limited government, O’Keefe had participated in his state’s 2012 debate surrounding attempts by Democrats and state and national government-employee unions to recall Gov. Scott Walker (R) and some state senators. The recalls were intended as punishment for legislation limiting the unions’ collective bargaining rights.Walker prevailed. The Democratic prosecutors, however, seeking to cripple his 2014 reelection campaign and to damage him as a potential 2016 presidential aspirant, have resorted to a sinister Wisconsin process called a “John Doe investigation.” It has focused on the activities of O’Keefe and 28 other conservative individuals or organizations.
Between this and the IRS harassment of Tea Party groups, progressives have shown the depths they will sink to when they can’t win based on their ideas.
Tactics they would decry as abuses of power if the situation was reversed come quite naturally to them when used against their opponents.
WAJ adds: I was honored to see O’Keefe at Anne’s wedding this weekend (second from right, seated):
It’s rare that someone risks his own freedom for the freedom of all of us, but O’Keefe was just such a person, an unassuming guy who stood up to the Star Chamber travesty that is the anti-conservative John Doe investigation. His lawsuit against the investigators — named individually — will continue, even as the investigation has been shut down by the courts. (BTW, Jim Hoft was looking great, thank God he’s doing better.)
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